Category Archives: Cultural Wisdom

Fresh from the HuffPO: Have Skype. Will do International Business…

Posted on 14 February, 2012 by

Here is my latest column in the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/valerie-bersetprice/have-skype-will-do-intern_b_1274855.html#es_share_ended Virtual interactions have gained a lot of traction in the past five years, and nowadays companies heavily rely on them to communicate internally with employees scattered all around the world. Some … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Cultural Communication, Foreign manager, International Business Practices, International business travel, International Sales, Managing People | Leave a comment

The Success of Ethnic Minorities in International Business

Posted on 26 January, 2012 by

Last December an article in The Economist discussing advertising to ethnic minorities caught my attention. The article discusses at one point how “ethnic origin is the key to people’s identity, much more than education, income, religion, sex and sexual orientation.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Cultural Communication, Cultural Intelligence, Cultural Wisdom, International Business Practices, International Marketing, International Sales, Managing People | Leave a comment

Is Prison Part of Your International Expansion Plan?

Posted on 28 November, 2011 by

Some call it the toughest, most biting law ever faced by American business. And we tend to agree. Right now, as you read this, more than 1000 American companies are under investigation by the Department of Justice and the Securities … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Wisdom, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Foreign manager, International Business Practices, International business travel | Leave a comment

It Matters How You Say It!

Posted on 14 November, 2011 by

One of the most crucial lessons any company must learn is that marketing slogans and even names of products and models never translate directly and carry the same meaning as they do at home. The giant quality baby food manufacturer … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Cultural Communication, Cultural Wisdom, International Business Practices | Leave a comment

Trust at Risk

Posted on 7 November, 2011 by

One of my colleagues—an American executive who has lived most of his life outside the States—worked for quite some time in South Africa. One day a medium-sized company called him for help. The company was a local factory that was … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Cultural Communication, Cultural Wisdom, Foreign manager, International Business Practices, Managing People, Religion | 1 Comment